Movable barrier operators of various kinds are known in the art. Such movable barrier operators often work in conjunction with a corresponding movable barrier such as a single panel or segmented garage door, a rolling shutter, a pivoting, swinging, or sliding gate or arm barrier, and so forth. In particular, the movable barrier operator typically responds to user inputs (often as input via a remotely located user interface) to effect selective movement of a corresponding movable barrier (for example, to transition the movable barrier back and forth between a closed and an opened position). Some movable barrier operators have additional functionality. For example, some movable barrier operators are able to control the illumination state of one or more light sources.
Alarm systems, including but not limited to intrusion detection alarm systems, are also known in the art. Such systems often serve to monitor one or more intrusion detectors and to respond to a detected intrusion with a corresponding action. Exemplary actions include sounding an audible alarm, illuminating or flashing one or more light sources, automatically sourcing a page, telephone call, or the like to notify one or more predetermined parties of the detected intrusion, and so forth.
In many cases, a building or residence having an alarm system will also have one or more movable barrier operators. There have been some prior efforts to effect communications and/or cooperation as between such elements. For example, the X10 standard has been employed to effect relatively simplistic communications (such as indicating a present status of a movable barrier to an alarm system or to permit an alarm system controller to also control activation of a movable barrier operator).
To date, such proposals are relatively simple and do not permit or facilitate much potential depth or capacity with respect to leveragable functionality. As a practical result, for the most part, little integration has occurred in the marketplace. At least one problem posed by seeking more powerful cooperation between such elements relates to increasing the likelihood that an unauthorized individual may be able to take advantage of the necessarily expanded communication link(s) as are used to support such cooperation and thereby impair or defeat the alarm system itself, the movable barrier operator, or both. Another problem reflects an apparent present perception on the part of at least some persons skilled in the art that the possible benefits of supporting such cooperation are relatively negligible in comparison to the perceived costs of implementation and risk to overall security and effectiveness.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. It will also be understood that the terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions with respect to their corresponding respective areas of inquiry and study except where specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein.